Glyphosate Commission

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Glyphosate Scientific Review Phase 2 Report: Public Input Questions
Please note that comments and input are requested before 2/17/23.

Final Phase 1 Report

Memo to Commission from agency staff on DAR’s Pesticide Use Reports

A virtual public meeting of the Glyphosate Commission was held on  September 15, 2022 at 10:00 am.

(A scheduled July 26, 2022 meeting was postponed to allow for additional preparation and consideration of materials in advance of the next Commission meeting.)

Agenda

1. Call to Order

2. Approval of June 17, 2022 meeting minutes

3. Discussion: Workplan (including Phase II Timeline)

4. Discussion: Phase I Report Comments / ERG Letter / Accepting Report

5. ERG Contract – Phase II Extension

a. Update: Funding

b. Approval: ERG Contract Amendment/Authorization

6. Other Business: reserved for items not reasonably anticipated by the Chair

7. Adjournment

The Glyphosate Scientific Review Phase 1 Report is now available.

The Commission decided at the June 17, 2022 meeting that it would receive public input on the Phase 1 Report until  June 30, 2022.  Comments on the Phase 1 Report may be found below. 

The Report was for the Glyphosate Commission by Eastern Research Group, Inc., under a contract with the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources.

The Commission has contracted for a scientific review of glyphosate and its alternatives. The review is to consider uses, restrictions, public health impacts, and environmental impacts of glyphosate. The project into two phases.
In Phase One, ERG is tasked with identifying all resources to consider for the scientific review.  ERG will then review those resources in Phase Two.

A virtual public meeting of the Glyphosate Commission was held on June 17, 2022 at 3:00 p.m.

AGENDA:

1. Call to Order
2. Approval of May 23, 2022 meeting minutes
3. Discussion: Phase 1 Report
   
   The Commission decided at the June 17, 2022 meeting that it will receive public input on the Phase 1 Report until  June 30, 2022.  (The Phase 1 Report can be found above.) Comments on the Phase 1 Report may be sent to Ann Lowery at ann.lowery@mass.gov. 
    
4. Phase 2: approval to proceed and funding
5. Question: Opportunity for public comment
6. Other business
7. Adjournment

A (virtual) meeting of the Glyphosate Commission was held on Monday, May 23, 2022 in accordance with the Open Meeting Law, G.L. c. 30A §§ 18-25, and c. 24 of the Acts of 2021.

AGENDA:

1. Call to Order

2. Approval of March 8, 2022 meeting minutes

3. Report from ERG on Phase 1 deliverables
4. Discussion of Phase 2
5. Other Business – reserved for items not reasonably anticipated by the Chair
6. Adjournment

A (virtual) meeting of the Glyphosate Commission was held on Tuesday, March 8, 2022 in accordance with the Open Meeting Law, G.L. c. 30A §§ 18-25, and c. 24 of the Acts of 2021.

Agenda:

1. Call to Order

2. Approval of November 30, 2021 meeting minutes

3. Update on procurement efforts

5. Other Business – reserved for items not reasonably anticipated by the Chair

6. Adjournment

A REVISED Request for Quotes (RFQ) has been posted in COMBUYS to obtain consultant services for the Glyphosate Commission.  The posting may be found below, along with a link to COMMBUYS.  The RFQ will remain open until January 17, 2022.  After that date the Commission members will review submissions and hold a meeting to discuss them and finalize the selection. 

The first (virtual) meeting of the Glyphosate Commission was held on Tuesday, November 30, 2021 in accordance with the Open Meeting Law, G.L. c. 30A §§ 18-25, and c. 24 of the Acts of 2021.

Agenda:

1. Introductions
2. Legislative direction in Chapter 24 of Acts of 2021 for the Commission (Chair Martin Suuberg)
3. Open Meeting Law Requirements
4. Overview of Pesticide Regulation in Massachusetts (Taryn Lascola)
5. Potential scope of work (draft) (C. Mark Smith)
6. Other business; next steps and scheduling next meeting 

The Glyphosate Commission was established by the Massachusetts Legislature pursuant to Chapter 24 of the Acts of 2021.

ESTABLISHING A COMMISSION TO INVESTIGATE GLYPHOSATE

2511-0100……

For the operation of the department of agricultural resources …

…  provided further, that not less than $50,000 shall be expended for the creation and operation of a commission consisting of the following members: the commissioner of environmental protection, or a designee, who shall serve as chair; the commissioner of agricultural resources, or a designee; the commissioner of public health, or a designee; the director of the division of fisheries and wildlife, or a designee; and a representative of a land trust or other group with expertise in invasive plant management, who shall be designated by the joint committee on environment, natural resources and agriculture; provided further, that such commission shall conduct a scientific review of the potential impacts of glyphosate and its most common alternative herbicides on the environment and public health, including a review, undertaken in collaboration with the natural heritage and endangered species program, of the potential impacts of glyphosate and most common alternative herbicides on: (i) all species of plants and animals that have been determined to be endangered, threatened, or of special concern pursuant to chapter 131A of the General Laws; and (ii) all significant habitats designated pursuant to said chapter 131A; provided further, that the commission may expend any portion of its funds it deems necessary to enable the collaboration of the natural heritage and endangered species program; provided further, that the pesticide subcommittee established under section 3A of chapter 132B of the General Laws shall use said scientific review as part of an individual review conducted under 333 C.M.R. 8.03 to determine whether current uses of glyphosate pose unreasonable adverse effects to the environment, and whether current registered uses of glyphosate should be altered or suspended; provided further, that the department shall submit the results of both the scientific review and individual review to the joint committee on environment, natural resources and agriculture no later than December 31, 2021;

Pursuant to Chapter 24 of the Acts of 2021, the members of the Glyphosate Commission are:

• Bonnie Heiple (chair)
  Commissioner, Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection
• John Lebeaux
  Commissioner, Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources
• Marc Nascarella
  Chief Toxicologist, Massachusetts Department of Public Health 
  Representing Margret Cooke, Acting Commissioner, Massachusetts Department of Public Health 
• Eve Schlüter
  Assistant Director, Assistant Director of Natural Heritage & Endangered Species Program, MassWildlife
  Representing Mark Tisa, Director, MassWildlife
• Julie Richburg
  Lead Ecologist, Inland Natural Resources
  The Trustees of Reservations